At the end of last month I celebrated a birthday. I've always loved the newness of birthday's and New Year's. This year I felt a little different, hence the delayed post, I've made a real effort to appreciate the newness of every day. Every day brings new possibilities a new set of challenges and opportunities. That's what I've enjoyed most about this last year. I no longer need a birthday to set new intentions in my life I can do it at any breath.
I also started shattering the ideas I have about myself by taking on things that I never thought I would do like coaching volleyball and being on the PTO board. Opening myself to what the world brings my way instead of rigidly thinking "that's just not me" has been invigorating. New opportunities are great for the brain and soul.
I began my quest of "loving kindness" a year ago and plan to continue it into this year. Showing loving kindness to myself has helped me through some experiences of physical and emotional pain. Impermanence has been a guide and teacher more this year than any other year. I have a feeling that the impermanent nature of all things will have more of an impact with each passing year.
This year I plan on taking on a daily reflection of what is known as the three heavenly messengers: sickness, old age and death. Sounds kind of depressing huh? Well it's not meant to be. Reflecting on these actually brings a deeper appreciation for every day life. I'm excited to see where this meditation leads.
Every beginning starts with some other beginnings end. This year is a new chapter or maybe even a new volume on my journey to continually searching for inner peace and freedom. My intention is to fill those pages with meaningful interactions, loving kindness and wise actions. After preparing a teacher breakfast this morning and having coffee with a friend I'm off to a good start....
